Madaraku walked through the halls of the medical bay. Since most of the problems were handled by Mary, he lacked a sense of urgency. The progress she had made in such a short period of time still amazed him. To learn that a high-quality academy like YH would house the sister of the head of the Amaxia gang was even more surprising to him.
A training academy that enables gangsters to heal its participants? He wondered whether Megis had kidnapped someone.
"Three months?" he asked no one in particular as he turned down a hall to the healing area three. "No, four months."
Entering the large room he approached the area carefully, looking to his left and right to make sure the coast was clear before entering.
"Pleased to see you, master." the healer greeted the munched over figure. It was Micha, intently reading the information within the jump drive on a tablet.
"Hey Ar'Mada." Micha greeted without moving his eyes from his device. "Teka?"
"fine and about." the healer answered "what about you?"
"Got my asswhooped by some rando." the other male sighed,extending his hand holding the tablet "Damn near got killed, then I got hounded by my bro,can you check this for me?"
"Fine." the second year healer sighed, taking the tablet. An organized chart was displayed on the device, including pictures, the year, the age, the blessing, the levels and more. "Seems alright, but you should know who to avoid."
"Disciplinary committee captain: Moana Darwin, and the student council." Despite knowing the power of such positions, Micha did not find them bothersome. "I bet they hold a lot of say within the school. One adverse review from them and my social credibility and teachers' pet status are down the drain."
"That's what you're worried about?" the healer asked after hearing the teacher's pet part.
"Then there are people who are level five. There are three of them." Micha sighed sadly at the healer as he retrieved the tablet. "They are the ones I fear most."
"That's very true." Madaraku nodded, having been a spectator to the destruction one level five, a TRUE level five, could cause. "But compared to your other opponents...?"
"Incomparable." Micha said gravely, giving form to the words of Fortune and his own thoughts. Just a glance at their powers was enough for the two. The powers of the level fives were nearly impossible to plan against. "These guys are the real deal unlike Drake or Luna. It's like comparing a rat to a tiger."
"More like 'rat to a dragon god'." the healer groaned while crossing his arms. "I don't think Megis could harm any of them."
"Yeah, you're trash." Micha joked before his body was sliced apart by various slashes of varying colors causing it to fall apart. Still Micha was unphased as his chunks seemed to animate themselves, growing small legs and eyes that helped them move about.
"Damnit." Madaraku grumbled, somewhat ashamed of his inability to control his anger.
He observed the pieces pile up on one another, emitting a large amount of heat, almost dangerously large. In a horrific electric blaze, body parts melted in a stomach-turning fashion. Blackened flesh evolved into horrifying mutilated combinations of animals, humans of all ages, and machines before settling into a ghastly monstrous shape. Throughout its body, an acidic substance oozed from every pore.
As the monster fought to transform into a human again, its clawed hand brought tremors throughout the entire school. Madaraku used a small scroll to defend himself against the acidic flesh chunks. Despite Micha's monstrous form, including stray pieces, he was able to control his body.
"DAMNIT!" The beast gurgled slowly, shrinking while emitting a foul stench. After suffering excruciating pain, the monster returned to its original shell, just like the day it was born. "That was harder than normal..."
"Get out then." Madaraku sighed, unsummoning his scroll, knowing exactly what needed to be done. "We can't let you become a monster here."
"I'm definitely going to get you back." Micha said, grabbing the still unharmed jumpdrive and retreating into his pocket dimension, with rancid muck staining the floor.
Now alone, the yell of another healer echoed "Red alert, massive influx of patients from arena violet, all level five injured, anyone who can head to healing bay seven as soon as possible."
"Just my luck!" the bandaged man sighed as he left and made a break for the seventh healing bay.
XXXXX
"Veronica!" Teka yelled as she approached the tall girl who was carefully polishing her sword on a bench outside YH. Her mind was preoccupied with her hunt for Violet.
"Hey girlfriend!" Veronica laughed, embracing the other girl tightly. "You pass?"
"That doesn't matter." The younger of the two answered forcefully in an attempt to hide her shame. Picking up on this, Veronica nodded, following along with the narrative.
"Yeah fine." The brunette nodded, sheathing the sword and standing up, her left arm falling limply at her side. "Wanna drop by my place for a bit? I'm ordering pizza after this fight."
"PIIZZAAAAAAAAAAA." Teka laughed like a zombie with stars in her eyes,"PIZZA! Me now!"
"Be patient." The brunette laughed as she led Teka to her rental. "Get in the back. Don't want you getting hurt."
"What about My-Micha?" Teka asked, curious about her god's whereabouts as she got into the car.
"Knowing him?" Veronica began getting into the car and starting it up "likely experimenting with his new powers or cashing in on some debts that are owed to him."
"Debts?"
"Yeah." Veronica nodded, pulling out of the driveway and beginning the long drive to her hotel. "Don't tell Micha I told you this but the dude likes calling himself a 'dealer,'" she said, still cringing at the memory of Micha calling himself that. "If you have enough cash, he'll help you out. Whatever happens after? It ain't on him."
"Wow, seems a tad criminal?" Teka wonders, fearing that her god will be arrested for something like that. In the YG empire something like producing substances or items without an official dealer license would get someone sent to jail for a minimum of two years if convicted. Youth feared this law despite it rarely being enforced. "also he didn't charge me for the blessing?"
"Aye but it's lucrative," the brunette replies, rubbing her fingers together."There are plenty of mutants willing to pay twenty dollars to look normal like you and me and there are hundreds more willing to pay a hundred for the memories of their future selves."
"Hmm?" Teka found herself in a dilemma. Charging people to look normal? Her stomach ached at the thought. Being poor herself, she understood the need for money and food, but she also felt taking advantage of the... less than favorable treatment of mutants for profit was inappropriate. It was wrong.
"Yup, that's what he does." Veronica continued taking note of the expression of her companion and the complex feelings behind it. Turning her eyes back to the road, Veronica steadied her voice. "You know he does want to do good."
"Of course." Teka replied in a hurry, trying to cover up her once more shaken faith. "If he gave me this power surely he must."
"Yeah but at what cost?" Veronica questioned tightening her grip on the steering wheel. "At what point do righteous actions bleed into criminal ones? Where does justice end and vengeance begin?"
"Very complicated questions." Teka answered, directing her eyes to her hands. Was taking down Mother Frost wrong?
"Yes." Veronica nodded as she pulled into a hotel parking lot. The two were swallowed by silence as Veronica entered a parking spot, waiting several minutes before asking "Wanna talk about something else?"
"Sure...cult?" Teka replied, her eyebrow raised, while Veronica smiled wryly at the cult-mafia Micha had formed. Something she was a part of.
"Let's go inside." the curse user said, turning off the car, her eyes hollowed like Micha's before as she continued "and I'll tell you about other people Micha helped."
